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F. A. SMITH, Jr,

METALLIGFASTENINGQ I 'Z' Patent-ed Apr. 1,1884,

N. PETERS. Photo-Ulfiogmnher. Washington ILCv UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

FRANKLIN A. SMITH, JR, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

METALLIC FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,079, dated April 1, 1884.

Application filed January 17, 1884. (No model.)

enings; and I do declare the following to be a I fall, clear, andexact description of .the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. .r

invention relates to an improved metallic fastening which is designed to be used in the place of a common headed tack, but in the present instance is more particularly adapted foruse as a fastening for securing buttons to fabric, and of that class for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted me,

dated January 2, 1883, No. 269,891; and my present invention is designed as an improvement on the same.

Heretofore tack-fastenings have been made of metal cut to a sharp point on different sides,

and having a head forced into form by means I of heading-dies, making a broad head on all sides of the prong. In the above-mentioned patent around pin-pointed stem projecting from the interior of a concavo-convex circular disk-head is employed, all of which must necessitate the employment of costly machinery in the manufacture, and when in use as a button-fastening causes a disk of metal on the under surface of material which is liable to tip up when a strain is brought to bear on the button, thus hurting the foot and rendering it ohjectiouable as a shoe-fastening; My present invention is designed to remedy this defect, as but a small amount of metal is employed in the manufacture, the base portion being disposed in such a manner as to present but a small amount of metal on the inner surface of a shoe, and this in such a form as to be practically unobjectionable, and at the same time provide a strong and durable fastening for an eye-shank button.

To this end my invention consists of a base or head portion, from thecut edge of which,

and at right angles thereto, extends a prong which is gradually curved on each side, ending ina sharpened point similar to a lancet form, the whole cut from sheet metal of a uniform thickness at head and point, the metal in the finished fastener being in its normal condition as it existed in the sheet from which it is out.

To more particularly describe my invention, I refer to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the fastener. Figs. 2 and 3 represent opposite views of the fastener attached to buttons in fabric ready for use as a buttonfastener. Fig. 4 is a view of sheet metal with a fastener cut out of it.

Similar letters refer to similarparts th rough out the several views. Again referring to the drawings, A isatack or fastener, cut to form out of sheet metal of a'uniform thickness, with the metal of the flu ished article in its normal or unbent condition as it existed in the original sheet,'without any bending, swaging, or further manipulation whatever, as shown in view of sheet metal withblank cutout in Fig. 4:; and itconsists of the base a, from the center of which, on the cut edge thereof, extends at right an- .gles the fasteningprong b, which is preferably cut to a gradual curve not unlike a lancet form, terminating in a central pointed end, 0, as shown in Fig. 1. This end is pointed sufficiently to allow it who readily pressed through fabric when used as a button-fastener, or to readily penetrate anymaterial which it may be used in connection with. I

As before stated, in the present instance I more particularly design the tack for abuttonfastener, in which case the operation of attachthrough the fabric and button-eye until the cut edge of the base a lies snugly against the under side of the fabric, when a pressure being brought to bear on the end a, the prong b is bent over flatwise of the stock at right angles to the base and re-enters the fabric until the end 0 reaches the side of the base at its center, when on striking the base, and a further pressure being brought to bear on the prong b, the end 0 is farther carried down until it reaches the lower edge of the base, the fastener ment is as follows: The prong bis first pressed assuming the form of a loop substantially like that shown in Fig. 3, (I, when the button will be found to be firmly secured to the fabric.

. It will be observed that the prong being cut out of sheet metal and bent flatwise of the stock in attaching abutton to fabric, will make a much smaller circle or loop around the button-eye than if it were bent edgewise, and the strain, coming in two places in the material against the flat surface of the fastening-prong, offers a greater resistance to any pressure that is brought to bear on it, and also prevents the fastener from turning or twisting around while in the fabric, as is the case with other forms of tack-fasteners, this being an important feature of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The herein-described metallic tackorfast ener A, consisting of the base a, having a rounded lower and substantially straight up per edge, from the center of which projects the prong b, terminating in point a, substantially as shown and described.

. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN A. SMITH, JR. 

